Drive for overhead conveyers



July 19, 1949. LANDAHL 1 2,476,497

DRIVE FOR OVERHEAD CONVEYERS Filed April 7, 1945 6 7/ tycaefllma zzPatented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,476,497 DRIVE FOROVERHEAD CONVEYERS Eugene E. Landahl, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 7, 1945, Serial No. 587,096

a flexible system around curved trackways as well as straight ones.

It has been a matter of some appreciable difiiculty to provide simple,reliable and efficient means for effecting a smooth and uniformapplication of power to such a conveyor. Ordinary power driven sprocketwheels do notproperly mate with the spaced trolley heads and can not beused. Other drives, having limited surface engagement with thetrolleys,- have proved ineffective and a source of considerablemechanical disorder, as a result of high unit strains and stresses andresulting mechanical failure of their parts. 1

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a drivemechanism for the trolley-type overhead conveyor wherein an endlessmotor-driven chain or belt is provided carrying spaced trolley-grippingbrackets, which during movement of the chain or belt, register With andgrip a plurality of adjacent trolleys, whereby to cause movement of thewhole trolley system along its supporting tracks in exact uniformitywith the linear speed of the chain or belt and with an absence of unduemechanical stresses or strains therein.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a conveyor-driving mechanism formed inaccordance with the present invention; I

Fig. 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevationof'the drive mechanism and the associated trolley system;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates apair of spaced channel rails adapted to be stationarily supported in anysuitable manner in an overhead or elevated position. The rails havewelded or otherwise 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-- -203) of intervening rods ll,

rigidly secured thereto a set of lower angle irons 6, the horizontalflanges of which receive vertically disposed rollers provided on theconveyor heads or trolleys 8. The latter may be of the con structiondisclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,249,531 granted July 15, 1941. Thetrolleys also carry upper and lower horizontally disposed rollers 9adapted for engagement with the vertical flanges of the angle iron 6.Below the channel rails, the trolleys carry depending hooks H) on whichproducts to be transported by the conveyor are held in a suspendedmanner. The trolley units are spaced and flexibly united by means havingat their ends ball and socket or other universal connection with thebodies of said trolleys, allowing the latter to negotiate, after themannerof an endless. conveyor, both straight and curved supportingtrackways.

To drive such aconveyor, the present invention provides the channelrails 5 with a transversely extending motor base l2 on which ispositioned an electric motor l3. The armature shaft of this motor drivesa belt .wheel 14. around which passes an endless belt IS, the latterbein also trained over a second belt wheel 16 formed with the drivingshaft of a speed-reducing gearing, indicated generally by the numeralIT. The driven shaft of this gearing carries a sprocket l8. over whichis trained an endless cha n 19. the latter being also trained over asecond sprocket 20 which is fixed to a cross shaft 2| journaled inbearings 22 supported on the upper surfaces of the rails 5. Between thebearings 22, the shaft 2| is provided with a drive sprocket 23 for thereception of an endless drive chain 24, the latter also passing around asecond sprocket 25 carried by a shaft 25, which is journaled in bearings21 mounted on the rails 5. The drive chain is thus located in a verticalplane passing centrally between the channel rails '5.

Pivotally mounted as at 29 on the chain 24 are a plurality of conveyorengaging and moving brackets 30. Each of these brackets comprises, ahollow casting of cubical configuration sup-' porting at four comersthereof track-engaging rollers 3| which, upon movement of the drivechain 24, are adapted for engagement, along the lower run of the drivechain, with guide rails 32 carried by the inner surfaces of the channelrails 5. The side walls 33 of the brackets are arouately recessed as at34 in order to clear the vertical rollers I of the trolleys 8, while theend walls 35 of said brackets are recessed as at 36 to receive theuniting rods l I of said trolleys.

Consideration will disclose that the brackets r cr J.. 3 moving with thelower run of the drive chain 24 are so spaced that the same will receivewithin the confines thereof a pair of the trolley units 8 partlyenclosing the latter and confining the same between the end walls ofsaid brackets, whereby to advance the conveyor along its trackway at alinear speed exactly corresponding to that of the endless carrier ordrive chain 24, and specifically preventing the conveyor from moving ata speedgreatferitlianthat ofth lineara'dvance of the drivechain.

The present invention thus provides a simple, compact and efficientdrive mechanism for over head conveyors of the multipletrolleyunlbtypein which the linear speed or rate of"t ra vel of the conveyor on itsassociated trackway-iimy be precisely and accurately controlled, so thatthe. product supported by the conveyor may be moved from onemanufacturing department twanother in an orderly manner and at such arate of advance as will best conforrnto manufacturing ormaterial-handling operations required. The drive mechan i'sirnfQeccupies' ,en out-of-the-way positionfandit'sover alleificieiicyis'such that a relatively 10w power electricmot'onwiththeassociated speed reducing mechanism, may be used asja prime mover foranextens'ive overhead conr y sr em... YQI.

'WhileIh'ave described. andillustrate'd a single preferred mboc mentljof my invention, nevertheless, the specific construction is subject tocertain variation and' modification without dea tin .r e es ar cf qm te. pi f theinvehmt 'Qmt s pe. r the i lbwi claims.

:ir e mx 5i 1, Overhead conveyor mechanism comprising stationarytrack'rail's', a' 'pluralityof trolley units movable alor' gisaid"rails, eachof said" trolleys including. a bliqii cqnneciing and spacingrods flexibly joined at their ends with "the bodies of said units, anendless drive chain supported by said rails abovesaid trolley units formovement l ra: (er :al 'plane,.' dri've means mounted on said rails foroperating said "cr me," "a" plurality of brackets pivotally carriedbylsaid chain at spaced intervals thereon, said intervals correspondingto the acing o:f ;said trolley units; the brackets mov ng inunispn withthelovver run of said chain, saidbrackets havingspaced end walls adaptedfor engagement with the bodies of said trolley unitsboth forwardly andrearwardly thereof to produce movement of said trolley unitsinconformity withthat of the drive chain. 1 r

. 2- Qr r ead ,qqnv q tg e Comprising stationary track rails, aplurality of trolley units movable along said rails, each of saidtrolleys includinga body, connecting and spacing rods flex-..

blri ineaat ei end wi hi bodiesrof Said units, anendlessdrive chainsupported by said rails above said trolley units for movement in avertical plane drive means mounted on said rails for-operating saidchain, a plurality of braclgets piv tallycarried bysaid chain atspacedintervals thereon, said intervals corresponding-to the spacing ofsaid trolley units, the brackets moving inunison with the lower run ofsaid chain and having spaced end walls disposed for engagement 4 withthe bodies of said trolley units both forwardly and rearwardly thereofto produce movement of said trolley units in conformity with that of thedrive chain, and rollers carried by said brackets disposed forengagement with guides carried by said track rails when said bracketsare in engagement with the trolley units of said conveyor.

3. Conveyor mechanism comprising a pair of spaced ss'tationary--traclgrails, aplurality of rollered" trolley units disposed for linearmovement on said rails, flexible means uniting said units at uniformlyspaced longitudinal intervals, a

"power drivene-endless drive member supported for movement in a confinedcourse of travel adand a. plurality of brackets having spaced end wallscarried by said drive member at longitudinallyispaced intervals thereon,the spacing and end wall formation of said brackets being such astocause the samev to register with and receive the front and.rear. endsbreach of said trolley units asthe drive member is operated, whereby tocause said-units to ,be advanced linearly along said-railslat-ispeedsr.accordin p iecisely to those of'sa'id 'drive/memberand brackets V 4. Conveyor mechanismcomphising. a pair of spacedstationary track rails, a ,plurality. of rollered trolley. units,disposed. .-for..linear movement on said "rails, vtie rods ,uniting saidunitsat substantially uniformly. spaced longitudinalintervals, a power.drivenendless chain supported for movement. in .a. confined I course of.travel. with the lower .run.ther'eof disposed immediatelyover saidtrolley units, and a plurality of substantially hollow, brackets havingside. and .end walls, means pivotally connecting .the side wallspi saidbrackets ad'sacntthe endsathereofto said-chain at spaced intervals,said, intervals -.corresponding;. to the spacing otlsaid trolley.units,.the end walls of said brackets havingerecessed edges, said.rficessed edges being en'g'aged'...withv the opposite ends of,

said trolley units andtheir. connecting .tie rods, whereby to causesaidunitsto be advanced linearly along said rails at. speeds according.precisely toithose or said chain and brackets.

" 'orritn 'The;;iollowing-references are of record in the file of thispatent:

STATES PA'IpN' rs' H Number flNameuww Date 802,04? -.--.Kre11. .Oct. 17,1905 1,740,607- ---Learyl s Dec. 24, 1929 1,903,488 Stibbs Apr.;: 11,:1933 2,249,531 Landahl July 15, 1941 Hassler Jan. 26, 1943-

